No dry worksheets here – these books about math will have readers thinking about numbers in an entirely new way.

For the youngest readers:

1 + 1 = 5 and Other Unlikely Additions written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Brenda Sexton (Sterling, 2010)  1 + 1 = 5 when 1 set of twins + 1 set of triplets = 5 babies. With each page turn, kids have to think about what 2 groups of some things could add up to a certain number. Math + creative thinking = a great picture book for kids!

For transitional readers:

Just a Second by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2011) In one second, a hummingbird beats its wings 50 times. In one minute, a grizzly bear can run one-half mile. Jenkins captivates readers with cool facts about time and measurement, all illustrated with his signature cut-paper art. 

For older readers:

Millions, Billions, and Trillions: Understanding Big Numbers by David A. Adler and illustrated by Edward Miller (Holiday House, 2013) It’s hard to imagine just how big a million is, until you learn that “if you count at a rate of one number a second without stopping, it would take you a little more than eleven and a half days to reach one million.” This book brings big numbers into relatable terms that will dazzle kids’ minds.